MRS. BUSH: Thank you, Charlayne. Thank you, everyone. Thank you very,
very much, Charlayne. Her Excellency, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President
of Liberia, it's great to have this opportunity to be with you. I'm
thrilled to have the chance to see you, and I want to wish you and your
family, who are all here, a warm welcome to Washington.

I also want to recognize the President of Africare, Julius Coles; the
Acting Administrator for USAID, Henrietta Fore. Ambassador Mark Dybul,
who is the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, is here tonight. Where's Mark?
Way over there. Thank you, Mark. (Applause.) Ambassador Jendayi
Frazer, the Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs is also
here. (Applause.)

Members of the diplomatic corps, members of Congress, distinguished
guests, over the last three and a half decades, Africare has improved
millions of lives across the continent of Africa. Africare programs
provide emergency relief and safe drinking water. They feed the hungry.
They clean up the natural environment. Your organization supports
literacy training, develops civic institutions, and promotes good
government. Since 1970, Africare has delivered more than $675 million
in aid to 36 different countries. (Applause.)

Africare is one of several relief organizations that make up the RAPIDS
consortium. RAPIDS is addressing one of the greatest humanitarian
crises of all times, and that's the epidemic of HIV/AIDS. I've seen the
benefits of this work first-hand in Zambia's Mututa Memorial Clinic.
With support from RAPIDS and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS
Relief, the clinic helps Zambians live positively with HIV.

And as we just saw from the video -- did you all see the video? Okay,
then I'll tell you what's going to be in it. (Laughter.) Africare
works to improve opportunities for women and girls. Tonight, you're
advancing this goal by honoring an outstanding African woman who's a
role model for girls everywhere: President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
(Applause.)

President Johnson-Sirleaf is one of the world's most distinguished
leaders. She's a respected economist, an accomplished public servant,
and an amazing woman. Through her service as a Liberian cabinet
minister in the 1970s, as a senior U.N. administrator in the 1990s, and
now as her country's President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has always been
deeply devoted to her nation.

Her dedication to Liberia has never diminished -- not even in the face
of persecution. When she opposed the military rule of Samuel Doe,
President Johnson-Sirleaf was imprisoned and eventually had to flee her
country. During all her years in exile, she never lost her love of
freedom and her commitment to restoring democracy in Liberia.

I've just come from the National Museum of African American History and
Culture's opening exhibit, entitled "Let Your Motto Be Resistance." The
title of this photograph display comes from a speech by an
African-American clergyman and abolitionist named Henry Highland Garnet,
whose portrait is part of the exhibit. Garnet championed the idea of
Liberia -- of an African nation where former slaves could live in
freedom. He was eventually appointed "Minister Resident" to the
Republic of Liberia.

Before he left the United States, Garnet prayed: "Please the Lord I can
only safely cross the ocean, land on the coast of Africa, look around
upon its green fields, tread the soil of my ancestors, live if but a few
weeks; then I shall be glad to lie down and be buried beneath its sod."
Shortly after he arrived in Monrovia, Garnet died, and was given a state
funeral by the Liberian government.

The story of Henry Highland Garnet represents the very special and close
relationship between Liberia and the United States. For many years,
Liberia flourished as one of the most successful countries in Africa,
before its long and devastating civil war. During the war, the United
States was one of the few nations that maintained a diplomatic presence,
because we wanted to work with Liberians so they could return to their
democratic ideals.

Now the people of the United States stand with President Johnson-Sirleaf
and the people of Liberia as they rebuild their country. We commend the
President's efforts to make Liberia's government more transparent and to
build up democratic institutions. As a former teacher, I especially
appreciate President Johnson-Sirleaf's commitment to free and compulsory
primary education. The result has been a dramatic increase in school
enrollment -- especially for girls. (Applause.)

President Johnson-Sirleaf has worked to get Liberia's education plan
approved by the Education For All-Fast Track program. Under the
President's plan, more students will have basic school supplies like
desks, chairs, and textbooks. Teachers will be trained to use
up-to-date instructional materials. Currently, 26 percent of Liberia's
schools have access to clean water -- and President Johnson-Sirleaf aims
to increase that number to 60 percent by 2010. (Applause.)

These are ambitious goals -- and the United States is proud to work with
President Johnson-Sirleaf to achieve them. Last month, I announced that
the United States will partner with Liberia through our government's new
Basic Education Initiative. Liberia is one of six Fast Track countries
that will receive $425 million to train teachers and improve literacy.
(Applause.) The goal of the Basic Education Initiative is to reach 4
million children over the next five years, and to support countries that
make education a priority -- countries like Liberia.

Since the end of Liberia's civil war, the United States has provided
more than $650 million for humanitarian, development, and security
assistance. We're helping recruit and train and equip Liberian security
forces. We're working with President Johnson-Sirleaf's government to
build up a system of law and justice. Liberia's farmlands and forests
support the livelihoods of 70 percent of that nation's people -- so the
United States has joined with President Johnson-Sirleaf to promote
responsible stewardship of Liberia's natural resources and to expand
access to global markets for Liberian farmers.

President Johnson-Sirleaf is working to rebuild a health care
infrastructure that suffers from years of neglect. The United States is
partnering with her government to support health clinics and to provide
preventive care in rural communities. Next year, Liberia will receive
$1 million from the Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Liberia is also a
focus country under the President's Malaria Initiative, a $1.2 billion
program that aims to reduce malaria deaths in 15 African nations by over
half in the next five years.

Many American people also want to help Liberia through charities and
faith-based congregations and organizations. Liberians need books and
school supplies, medical equipment, clothing, food, and agricultural
commodities. Americans can provide resources for all of these items
through charities that invest in Liberian education, health care, and
agriculture. Concerned citizens can support the humanitarian work of
their faith congregations by providing donations, serving as volunteers,
or going on mission trips.

Last year, I met a young teacher in Indiana named Carrie Cannon. When
Carrie and her husband learned that they couldn't have children, they
decided to adopt. Their prayers were answered by three beautiful
children: five-year-old Abraham, three-year-old Alexa, and baby Addison
-- all from the same Liberian family.

While Carrie and Adam waited for their adoption paperwork to clear, they
got to know their children long-distance through photographs and
letters. Through those letters and photos, the Cannons also learned
about the profound need of the Liberian people. Carrie wanted to give
back to the country that was giving her her family. As a teacher, she
knew that building Liberia's first library was a good place to start.

At her school, Carrie organized a book drive with the goal of collecting
10,000 books. The drive quickly spread to two other schools. Students
walked the streets asking their neighbors for donations. Community
groups and local businesses pitched in. By the end of the drive,
Carrie's project had collected more than 65,000 books for the people of
Liberia. (Applause.)

Carrie hopes other communities will launch similar aid projects, but
there's one dream she cherishes more. Someday, when Abraham and Alexa
and Addison are older, Carrie wants her children to meet one of her
personal heroes -- President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. (Applause.)

I was privileged to represent the United States at President
Johnson-Sirleaf's inauguration. At the ceremony in Monrovia, she
delivered a moving address that spoke directly to the women of Liberia,
of Africa, and of the world. President Johnson-Sirleaf is the first
woman ever elected president in Africa, and women around the world are
proud of her. (Applause.)

And we have every reason to be proud of her: President Johnson-Sirleaf
is where she is today because of her hard work, her faith in democracy,
and her belief in the power of education. She's an inspiration to
everyone who believes in free societies. President Johnson-Sirleaf,
congratulations on this well-deserved award. (Applause.)

And special thanks to Africare for honoring President Johnson-Sirleaf,
and for your terrific work to improve the lives of men, women and
children across the continent of Africa.